Over €170,000 sitting idle in the pockets of Tipperary people who have yet to use gift cards

More than €250,000 has already been loaded onto Love Tipperary Gift Cards, according to new figures, and a major pre-Christmas effort is now under way to encourage people to redeem the cards in local shops and businesses across the county.

The scheme has generated strong engagement since its launch, with an average spend of €84.34 per transaction and 1,824 transactions recorded so far. This amounts to €74,018 spent locally, which means a significant balance remains unused as the peak shopping season approaches.

The gift card is accepted in more than 300 outlets throughout the county, including major retailers such as Tesco, Aldi and Penneys, as well as independent shops from Clonmel to Nenagh, Thurles and Roscrea. Cards can be purchased digitally or physically, collected at Chamber offices in Clonmel and Thurles, or bought through participating stores that carry the grab-and-go cards.

Businesses that accept the scheme report that it brings in new customers. Moran’s Menswear in Thurles, for example, has already accepted more than €4,000 worth of cards in six months. The programme operates on a zero-commission basis, ensuring that the full value of each transaction goes directly to the business.

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The wider economic backdrop highlights the potential impact of increased Christmas spending. According to recent data, domestic card expenditure in Tipperary reached €1.3 billion in 2024, with €639 million of that from contactless payments. Cash withdrawals amounted to €405 million. The county’s commercial vacancy rate stands at 14.7 per cent, and 5,357 people were on the Live Register in February 2025. Against that backdrop, additional local spending in the coming weeks is expected to be highly valuable to town centres.

A large promotional campaign is planned for the Christmas period to encourage households to use their cards and to grow the number of businesses taking part. Plans also include expanding employer reward partnerships and extending the scheme’s presence at community events.

The message heading into December is clear. With a quarter of a million euro already sitting on Tipperary Gift Cards, there is substantial spending power ready to be directed straight back into local shops and services at the most important trading time of the year.